1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for sewing and specifically for apparatus utilizing a series of sewing stations which are controlled at a central location for simultaneously sewing or stitching a number of large, bulky garments.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
It has become standard in recent years to provide sewing plant operations with a number of inter-connected and duplicative sewing stations which are controlled a joined to a central location. A conventional controller may for example be a microprocessor having a "punch tape" which will direct a particular stitch or sewing configuration to two (2) or more serially arranged sewing stations simultaneously. It is especially popular in "after market" sewing where sweat shirts or the like are purchased from a manufacturer and are then stitched with a specific team or company logo to utilize multi-station sewing apparatus. In such operations, an operator can load two (2) or more individual framing hoops with shirts or other garments, position the hoops on the sewing stations, and then direct the controller to stitch the two (2) or more garments simultaneously with identical patterns or logos in a time and labor efficient manner. In these operations, a microprocessor causes a hoop receiver to move in a particular sewing pattern, and since each sewing station has a hoop receiver affixed to means to drive the hoop, a number of garments can be sewed or stitched with an identical pattern by fixed sewing machines.
However, it is difficult at the present time for such sewing operations to be performed without breakdowns and jams since framing hoops are customarily driven above the cylinder arms of the sewing machines, with the cylinder arms flush with the top of the sewing table over which the hoop drive mechanism slides. Thus, if a sweat shirt is to be stitched with a company logo on the back, the front, arms and other portions of the shirt must be accommodated during the sewing operation and must be kept out of the way of the drive mechanism for the operation to proceed without a jam occurring. As would be understood, if one operator is in charge of two (2) or more such work stations, a jam at one station will in turn cause all stations to be inoperative thus losing valuable time and often at the expense of two (2) or more garments being discarded. Large, bulky garments frequently cause jams by being compressed between the hoop drive mechanism and the sewing machine, or by being caught between the drive mechanism and the cylinder arm of the sewing machine as it moves on the table.